The 2010 Baltic Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[OurDogCisco]

Based on that schedule, if rides are the objective, there does not appear to be any advantage to taking the DCL tour for early, exclusive entry. Am I misunderstanding?


Joanne

I don't know. Per the tour description on the website it does not clarify that. I'm asking them more questions to get a better understanding. I'd hate to speculate as I don't want to be wrong.

 

[sbell111]

So what plans have you for Helsinki?

We are taking the HOHO bus. We are actually doing every city on our own except St Pete. In St Pete we are joining others on an SPB tour (unless it falls through. We're awaiting confirmation.).

We are taking the Disney 'Berlin on your own' excursion and will then HOHO in Berlin.

 

[Rogillio]

We are taking the HOHO bus. We are actually doing every city on our own except St Pete. In St Pete we are joining others on an SPB tour (unless it falls through. We're awaiting confirmation.).

We are taking the Disney 'Berlin on your own' excursion and will then HOHO in Berlin.

We just can't bring ourselves to sit on a train for 6 hrs just to get to/from Berlin. The Berlin on your own is $200 pp or $800 for the 4 of us. We're renting a car in Rostock and will be exploring Rostock and other sights close to Rostock....car for a day is about a c-note. Heck, you might want to consider driving yourself to Berlin.

St Pete we are doing a 2-day tour with these guys:

http://www.shoretrips.com/common/search4.asp?rcode=BAL&lcode=LED&tcode=031033

And then we are doing the DCL Folkoric excursion at night. Everything else is DIY.

~Mike

 

[OurDogCisco]

Tina,
Can you also asked them if we are required to stay with the tour group for 1 1/2 hours? Or can we explore the park on our own? Also, will the tour include getting on some rides that are open early for DCL?

Thank you,
Patti

I will ask. Tina

 

[has]

Wow You're just as close to WDW as we are.
Happy Cruising!

Heidi

 

[Samanthasmom1]

We just can't bring ourselves to sit on a train for 6 hrs just to get to/from Berlin. The Berlin on your own is $200 pp or $800 for the 4 of us. We're renting a car in Rostock and will be exploring Rostock and other sights close to Rostock....car for a day is about a c-note.

~Mike

Hi,

We are on the July 18th Baltic and are thinking of doing the same thing in Germany but we haven't set anything up yet. Do you mind me asking what company are you using to get the car and where are you picking it up at?

Thanks,
Monica

 

[Rogillio]

Hi,

We are on the July 18th Baltic and are thinking of doing the same thing in Germany but we haven't set anything up yet. Do you mind me asking what company are you using to get the car and where are you picking it up at?

Thanks,
Monica

We booked a car at Avis. I did a search for Avis Rostock and a Google map comes up. I did the same for the cruise port in Warenmunde and based on my calibrated eyeballs, it looks like it's about 3 miles from the port to the Avis place. I sent Avis an email asking if there was a shuttle to/from the port but there is not....so I will take a taxi from the port to Avis and then drive back to the port to pick up the family.

~Mike

 

[carolmb]

So what plans have you for Helsinki? Looking at the excursions I'm amazed that a 2 hr walking tour costs $59?! For a family of 4, $236. Are you kidding me?! For a walking tour?! Oh, well, presumably that price includes a cup of coffee and a pastry.

Looks like yet another DIY port! I'm feeling a little guilty....we are doing every port except SPR on our own. OK, not really feeling guilty....but I am kind of disappointed that the shore excursion are so high. Maybe DCL figures people who spent $14k for a Cat 4 or 5 won't mind paying a few grand more for excursions.

Oh well, it will be interesting to compare trip reports later this summer and see how people liked the excursions and how people who DIY'd the ports ended up.

~Mike

We are on your cruise and plan on DIY everywhere except Berlin and St. Petersburg. I think I have Olso and Stockholm figured out. Now onto Copenhagen and Helsinki. Have you planned what you are doing in the DIY ports yet? Oh yeah...I am still planning London for pre/post cruise.

Carol

 

[slg]

I'm trying to book my excursions and I booked two and then got an error and have been locked out for 25 minutes. I've tried to log back in twice and it keeps saying try back in 20 minutes...although 20 minutes has now passed.

Frustration. Does this normally happen? I've never booked on the first day before.

 

[Arizona Rita]

Hang in there! It happened to alot of us on the Ignaugral on our booking day!
Good luck and I hope you get what you want!

 

[Rogillio]

We are on your cruise and plan on DIY everywhere except Berlin and St. Petersburg. I think I have Olso and Stockholm figured out. Now onto Copenhagen and Helsinki. Have you planned what you are doing in the DIY ports yet? Oh yeah...I am still planning London for pre/post cruise.

Carol

You sounds like us, planning one city at a time. Here are our plans (this is mostly from my benefit but might give others ideas)

London - Thursday - find Melbourn House hotel in city, visit Tower Bridge, Tower of London whatever else we feel up for after the long over-night flight

London - Friday - HOHO tour of the city while keeping an eye out for Andrew.

London/Dover - pick up rental car in London near hotel, drive to Leeds Castle. Try to remeber to drive on the wrong side of the road. If we think we have time, stop by Canterbury Cathedral. Continue on to Dover, drop off rental car at port and board ship.

Oslo - since we've been to Oslo before and hit all the 'mandatory' tourist stops, we'll do some shopping for Norweigan sweaters, eat some local food, visit the park with all the scultrues and maybe tour Aukershus again. Might also do the Fram tour again.

Copenhagen - walk to Trivoli park and spend a few hrs. Rest of the day is still to be determinded (TBD).

Germany - pick up rental car in Rostock. Visit local sites. Drive out to Wismar per Frommer's book. Stop at some small towns to visit the rurual Germans.

St Petersburg - two day private tour of SPR, DCL Folkloric excursion

Helsinki - Walking tour per Frommers, might rent bikes. Nostly still TBD and need to do some more planning/research.

Stockholm - HOHO bus, Vasa musuem. Very short port day now that we are leaving at 1 pm. BTW, got a card in the mail yesterday from DCL saying the port authority is making them leave early. My contact at DCL says they are planning "something special" for that afternoon since we are getting robbed of the port time.

Dover - pick up rental car at port. Tour Dover castle, drive to Canterbury cathedral, say a quick "Our Father" and then head to Heathrow for 6 pm flight to Newark.


~Mike

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

You sounds like us, planning one city at a time. Here are our plans (this is mostly from my benefit but might give others ideas)

London - Thursday - find Melbourn House hotel in city, visit Tower Bridge, Tower of London whatever else we feel up for after the long over-night flight

London - Friday - HOHO tour of the city while keeping an eye out for Andrew.

London/Dover - pick up rental car in London near hotel, drive to Leeds Castle. Try to remember to drive on the wrong side of the road. If we think we have time, stop by Canterbury Cathedral. Continue on to Dover, drop off rental car at port and board ship.

Oslo - since we've been to Oslo before and hit all the 'mandatory' tourist stops, we'll do some shopping for Norwegian sweaters, eat some local food, visit the park with all the sculpture's and maybe tour Aukershus again. Might also do the Fram tour again.

Copenhagen - walk to Trivoli park and spend a few hrs. Rest of the day is still to be determined (TBD).

Germany - pick up rental car in Rostock. Visit local sites. Drive out to Wismar per Frommer's book. Stop at some small towns to visit the rural Germans.

St Petersburg - two day private tour of SPR, DCL Folkloric excursion

Helsinki - Walking tour per Frommers, might rent bikes. Mostly still TBD and need to do some more planning/research.

Stockholm - HOHO bus, Vasa museum. Very short port day now that we are leaving at 1 pm. BTW, got a card in the mail yesterday from DCL saying the port authority is making them leave early. My contact at DCL says they are planning "something special" for that afternoon since we are getting robbed of the port time.

Dover - pick up rental car at port. Tour Dover castle, drive to Canterbury cathedral, say a quick "Our Father" and then head to Heathrow for 6 pm flight to Newark.


~Mike

You can now book an appearance or a guided tour online at DCL website, London.

 

[sshaw10060]

I am still struggling with what to do in Warnermunde. We're not going to do Berlin. It is just too much transit time with a 3 year old. We talked about just walking around town and visiting the beach, but I was wondering if anyone else had thoughts on what to do.

 

[sbell111]

We just can't bring ourselves to sit on a train for 6 hrs just to get to/from Berlin. The Berlin on your own is $200 pp or $800 for the 4 of us. We're renting a car in Rostock and will be exploring Rostock and other sights close to Rostock....car for a day is about a c-note. Heck, you might want to consider driving yourself to Berlin.

I considered forgoing Disney transport in Berlin and booking the train on our own, but I decided to go with their transport to simplify things slightly and add a tiny bit of safety into the mix.

 

[sbell111]

...
London/Dover - pick up rental car in London near hotel, drive to Leeds Castle. Try to remeber to drive on the wrong side of the road. If we think we have time, stop by Canterbury Cathedral. Continue on to Dover, drop off rental car at port and board ship.

I've been struggling with the train vs. bus decision. Both were relatively inexpensive, but added a degree of irritation since we will be traveling with bags and baby. Renting a car for this part of the trip may be a good solution. It is nearly twice as expensive, however.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I've been struggling with the train vs. bus decision. Both were relatively inexpensive, but added a degree of irritation since we will be traveling with bags and baby. Renting a car for this part of the trip may be a good solution. It is nearly twice as expensive, however.

IMHO :Train. If not then Car hire, but not, bus.

 

[sbell111]

IMHO :Train. If not then Car hire, but not, bus.

They each have their positives and negatives. Whether one is better than another completely depends on one's personal needs and desires.

 

[Ivory]

I am still struggling with what to do in Warnermunde. We're not going to do Berlin. It is just too much transit time with a 3 year old. We talked about just walking around town and visiting the beach, but I was wondering if anyone else had thoughts on what to do.

I know what u mean. We are staying in Warnermunde, I would love to go to Berlin, but will have to wait until its just my husband and I. Our daughter is 10, which is alot older that 3 but there is no way she could go on a 12 or 13 hr excursion. We have decided to do the Molli Steam Train, it seems like it may be fun and more kid oriented. Good luck with your planning!

 

[gydell]

Andrew - We will be arriving into LHR at 10:45pm. Two women and an 8 year old so we don't want to take the bus or train to our hotel. We are staying at the Marriott Regents Park. They will pick us up for 90lbs. Would a cab be more, less or about the same? Thanks!

 

[Celestine]

Andrew - We will be arriving into LHR at 10:45pm. Two women and an 8 year old so we don't want to take the bus or train to our hotel. We are staying at the Marriott Regents Park. They will pick us up for 90lbs. Would a cab be more, less or about the same? Thanks!

Not Andrew, but a fellow Brit. At that time of night I would say a black cab would be that. THere is also limited room in a cab as they do not have a boot (trunk). At that time of night all things considered I would use a private hire car (either via the hotel or booked independently)

Celestine